This Thursday was one of the most happening Thursdays for me! Reason – I met the beautiful and sensational Gul Panag. Not only I met her, I spent good 6 hours with her and her super handsome husband and had drinks and dinner with both of them 🙂

It so happened that on Twitter, I got to know that she is travelling to Andamans and she needed a bit of help in getting her tickets booked. I stepped in to help her out and I got her ship tickets booked at the last hour. She was quite thankful for my help and we decided to meet when she landed in Andamans. I can’t tell you guys how amazing it was to meet her. Not only both of them were simple, amiable and cozy to talk to, they were also one of the best couples I have come across. Both of them make such a great couple, even better than how Bipasha and John looked together! 😀

I can’t put her husband’s picture here because he has explicitly asked me to “not” out his picture on the internet. So, you have to believe what I just told you.

Anyway, so during that long conversation that I had with Gul, I got the opportunity to ask her about her naturally glowing skin, her fit and well toned body and her overall beauty and fitness regime. To my surprise, when it comes to beauty, Gul is just like a girl next door. Okay, let me begin one by one. I have so much to share that I am thinking where to begin from. The day I met her, I knew I had to do a post on my dear IMBB 🙂

Well, I could summarize Gul’s approach to beauty and fitness in the points below. But before I begin with it, I have to admit that this woman is indeed very inspiring. She inspired me not only as a woman, but also as a woman of solid substance and they both taught me some important lessons as a couple! Here is what I learnt from her about beauty.

1. Beauty is simplicity: When I was about to meet Gul, I had many imaginative images churning out in my head. I thought she might be clad in some high-end brand’s dress and would be loaded with make up and expensive accessories. But to my surprise, she appeared in a simple, beach dress which she totally rocked. In accessories, she was wearing a very thin chain around her neck and in the name of makeup, all that she had on her face was a basic nude lip gloss! That’s it.

Given that she is an ex-Miss India and she was one of the top 10 finalists in Miss Universe contest of 1999, one would expect a bit of haughtiness or air around her. But she was so natural to talk to. She did not have any pretense of whatever kind around her. Both she and her husband were completely grounded and when I talked to her, I just forgot that I was meeting her for the first time.

2. Expensive is not always better – When I met her, the first thing I wanted to know was the “brands” she uses. She told me that she had a medium kind of skin and that she is not too loyal to any brand. For example, right now, she uses a moisturising face cream called Glow Care which costs about Rs. 25 per tube! I asked her why despite the presence of such brands, she uses an unknown company’s cream and she said she uses what suits her. According to her, someone told her that this cream is an ayurvedic preparation, so she thought of trying it out. She did, she liked it and she says she would keep using it for some time.

3. Sunscreen is the key – One thing that Gul Panag swears by is sunscreen. She tells me that she religiously applies sunscreen, whether she is at home or outside. When I asked her about the brand’s sunscreen she uses, she answered “Neutrogena” sunscreen.

Fitness Regimen:

1. Run, baby run – Gul told me that to keep herself fit, she runs for at least 4-5 days a week. Also, she does weight training for 2-3 days a week. In addition to this, she keeps a check on her diet.

2. No dieting but healthy food – Gul does not believe in dieting but she sure believes in eating healthy. She is a food lover (I could see that :P), but she controls her pangs. She said that sugar is kind of addiction. You eat a little sugar and you want to eat more. So, the key is to control the intake in the first bite. She suggests to keep sugar intakes limited and take them only around festivals or weddings. Similarly, she said that she limits her alcohol intake once a week.

3. Know your food – Gul recommends reading “lose your weight, not your mind” and suggests that we must learn the chemistry of food to understand what we put inside our mouth. She totally disapproves the use of white sugar and recommends taking sugar in other forms like fruits, jaggery, etc. She also suggests to limit the intake of cereal carbs and suggests that taking an egg in the morning is a good way to start your day and that also gives us our required carb quantity.

These are the major lessons I learnt from her where beauty and fitness is concerned. We all know Gul is a biker and also an adventure lover. She travels a lot and she says that her inner peace reflects on her skin. She focuses on her life and takes up tasks and assignments that she truly believes in. She deliberately stays away from mainstream cinema because she does not relate to much of it. She does what she believes in and when you meet her, you don’t doubt it a bit.

I am so glad to meet her. She cleared so many of my doubts about so many things related to beauty and fitness and made me feel so much more confident about myself. I have always liked Gul for voicing her opinion on many sensitive issues and even during our meeting, most of them half of the time we discussed the issues our country faces today. She came across a very well read, sensitive and compassionate person and this made me fall in love with her.

I gifted her a handmade painting on Andamans which she totally loved 🙂 and I also got a gift from her 😀 She had brought a set of two books for me.. 😀 Loving those two master pieces 😀

Surabhi Surendra lives in Andamans and blogs at Womanatics where she writes about women and relationships. Currently, she is offering a free e-book “Of love, marriage and relationships” on her blog that throws some light on the anatomy of love.

What a lovely meeting surabhi. I think I have like Gl Panag form the day I saw her in one of Sonu Nigam’s videos. I think it was right after she was crowned miss india. totally loved reading about her. and I am sure she takes her fitness very seriously. it is totally showing. the happiness on meeting her is totally showing on your face. :)) thanks for sharing this. 🙂

Leez, I have started a small initiative where pple can place custom orders of such paintings. And these paintings are made by artists in Andamans who otherwise do not have access to resources and suffer from lack of exposure even though they are immensely talented. I have put the samples on my blog. Please check.

Hey Surbhi… u looking all so happy and so excited lik a kidddo hehhee … lovely…and look at Gul ..i am sure she is an xercise junkiiieeee … an i am shocked that she uses all drugstore stuff that is amzzinggg 🙂 .. Run baby run hahahha 🙂

Hey Nidhi.. you know what.. I love reading your comments always! yeah.. I was pleasantly surprised when she told me about her nuetrogena sunscreen and glow care cream! and she said we dont have to run after the expensive products.. we should use what suits us!

wow Surabhi…. you were lucky to meet her….
the book ‘dont lose your mind, lose your weight’ is by rujuta diwekar, the dietician for kareena kapoor… i have read this book and i swear its truly inspiring….

and yes gul panag is so down to earth… i loved her from the beginning and always wish to see more of her movies…. i liked her turning 30.

I loved pahal among all.. <3 such cutiepie!! lucky u meeting gul n her dashing hubby.. 😉 😛 i was wishing to see him after ur glad words knw.. 😛
Am waiting for u guys to come delhi, we will be more close then.. 🙂

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